Harness-snap.



Patented Aug. 28, I900. A. B. CAMERON.

HARNESS SNAP.

(Application filed May 23, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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ADDISONB. CAMERON, on CAMERON, MONTANA.

HARNESS-SNAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,938, dated August28, 1900. Application filed May 23,1899. Serial No. 717,973. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Annrson B. CAMERON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gameron, in the county of Madison and State of Montana, haveinvented a new and useful Safety Harness-Snap, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to snap-hooks, and

has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvementswhereby the tongue is effectively braced and prevented from beingaccidentally opened by the turning or moving of a ring or other deviceto which the bill of the hook may be applied. It is furthermore designedto provide improved means for facilitating the operation of the tongue,so that the latter may be readily opened by a gloved hand, and also toprotect the free end of the bill or hook, so as to prevent the same fromcatching in the harness or the mane and tail of an animal.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accom panying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescopeof the appended claim without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snap-hookconstructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a planView of the device. Fig. 3 is longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line x w of Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a detail perspective view of the tongue.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings aredesignated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates thesubstantially-straight shank of the hook, which is provided at itsforward end with the bill 2, the extremity of the latter beingbifurcated longitudinally, so as to provide the opposite shoulders 3.The rear end of the shank is preferably somewhat wider than the forwardend thereof and is provided with a longitudinal bifurcation or slot 4,which is enlarged laterally at its rear end, and a transverse bar 5,connected to opposite sides of the slot or bifurcation, closes thelatter and forms a loop for engagement with a strap or other device.

Located longitudinally at opposite sides of the slot 4 are the oppositeflanges 6, which flare laterally outward in opposite directions,

opposite flanges 6 and pivotally mounts the tongue. It will thus beapparent that the enlarged rounded portion of the tongue is pivotedeccentrically, so as to form a cam-operating thumb-piece, which has aneasy rolling movement. As clearly indicated in Fig. 40f the drawings, itwill be seen that the outer edge of this thumb-piece lies flush with orwithin the plane of the outer edges of the flanges 6,so that saidthumb-piece is protected against accidental engagement with the parts ofa harness or other object,aud thereby accidental opening of the tongueisprecluded. Furthermore, it will be seen that the oppositely-fiaringflanges permit of the thumb or finger being readily engaged with thecamoperating piece, and by reason of the gradually-rolling movementthereof the thumbor finger is received into the widened end of the slot4, which facilitates the opening of the tongue and prevents binding ofthe thumb or finger upon the opposite flanges. This operation of thethumb-piece permits of the tongue being opened by a gloved hand,whichwould bind upon the flanges if the movement of the thumb-piece werestraight inwardly between the flanges instead of rolling outward intothe enlargement of the slot.

To hold the free end of the tongue normally in contact with the bill 2,the thumbpiece is provided with a recess or socket 11,

which opens at the inner side of the tongue, and located within therecess is a coiled spring 12, which encircles the pivot-pin and isprovided with the respective forwardly and rearwardly extending arms 13and 14. The free end of the spring-arm 13 is bent into a hook 15, whichengages the outer side of the shank immediately in advance of theforward end of the slot 4, and the free extremity of the arm 1a is bentinto a hook 16 for engagement with the rear end of the operatingthumb-piece. It will thus be seen that the opposite spring-arms engagethe outer side of the shank and the inner side of the front piece,respectively, and at opposite sides of the pivot thereof, so as to.normally force the free end of the tongue inward toward the shank and inengagement with the bill.

At the outer side of the free end of the tongue there is provided aforwardly-extending lug 17, which is normally received between theopposite shoulders of the bill, so

as to brace the tongue against alateral strain.

ing of a ring or other object tofwhich the hook may be applied.

What is claimed is A snap-hook, comprising a shank, having a bill, and alongitudinal slot, a tongue 00- operating with the bill, pivotallymounted within the slot, and provided with a socket or recess formed inits inner side, and a coiled spring housed within the socket or recessand encircling the pivot of the tongue, and provided with forwardly andrearwardly extending arms, the forward arm engaging the outer side ofthe shank immediately in advance of the slot, and the rear arm engagingthe tongue at the rear side of the socket and said arms also extendingin opposite directions from the pivot of the tongue.

ADDISON B. CAMERON. Witnesses:

ELANSON U. DAVIS, AMos STOREY.

